Phantom Lady

Directed by Robert Siodmak, Phantom Lady follows Ella Raines’ Carol Richman as she sets out to prove her boss (Alan Curtis’ Scott Henderson) didn’t kill his wife – with complications ensuing after the various witnesses who could clear Scott’s name claim that they’ve never seen him before. It’s compelling subject matter that’s employed to somewhat erratic yet mostly rewarding effect by Siodmak, as the filmmaker, working from a screenplay by Bernard C. Schoenfeld, delivers a stylish and sporadically electrifying thriller that benefits from the stirring efforts of its various performers – with Raines’ appealing work here matched by a solid roster of periphery players. (It’s clear, ultimately, that Franchot Tone’s creepy turn as the movie’s unhinged villain remains an obvious highlight within the proceedings.) There’s little doubt, as well, that Phantom Lady‘s smattering of tense, enthralling sequences enhances its perpetually watchable vibe, as Siodmak, along with cinematographer Woody Bredell, packs the narrative with such captivating interludes as a near-murder by subway tracks and, in the picture’s high-water-mark, Tone’s Jack Marlow delivers a terrifying speech about the power of human hands to an imminent victim. By the time the suspenseful climax rolls around, Phantom Lady, despite a fairly silly conclusion, has confirmed its place as a more-than-decent entry within the film-noir canon.

*** out of ****